Mary Jane Croft

One of the most employed TV sitcom second bananas of the 1950s and 60s, Mary Jane Croft was so busy she co-starred in several series at the same time, but is best recalled for her work alongside Lucille Ball on the last season of "I Love Lucy" as the somewhat snooty Connecticut friend Betty Ramsey. She later replaced Vivian Vance as Lucy's sidekick on "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy." Croft wore her blonde hair in the same manner for 25 years, and the blandness of the style made her adaptable to playing uppercrust matrons or lower rung career gals. In addition to reprising her radio role of Miss Daisy Enright on "Our Miss Brooks" (CBS, 1952-54), she played neighbor to the Nelsons on "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" (ABC, 1954-66) and provided the voice of Cleo, the commenting basset hound, on "The People's Choice" (NBC, 1955-58). Other credits included recurring roles on "I Married Joan" (NBC, 1952-55), and "The Life of Riley" (NBC, 1953-58).